Selectable support for rollers, and the like

ABSTRACT

A support which enables a roller or axle to assume either an operative or a storage position. The operative position allows the roller or axle to be rotated to result in the winding up of a flexible, sheet material attached to the roller. Once the sheet material is wound onto the roller to the extent desired, the roller is physically moved to the storage position. The storage position renders the roller immobile thus securing the sheet material from unwinding.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,910,519 Martinez Oct. 7, 1975 [5 SELECTABLE SUPPORT FOR ROLLERS, 649,694 5/1900 Hunter 242/68 AND THE LIKE 3,252,666 5/1966 Bagwell 242/1298 Inventor: Rudolph J. Martinez, North Royalton, Ohio Portable Pool Covers, Inc., Berea, Ohio Filed: Feb. 7, 1974 Appl. No; 440,599

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 343,355, March 21, 1973.

Assignee:

US. Cl. 242/68 Int. Cl B65h 17/02 Field of Search 242/68, 129.6, 129.8;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Cook 242/68 Primary Examiner-Edward J. McCarthy Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cain and Lobo [57] ABSTRACT A support which enables a roller or axle to assume either an operative or a storage position. The operative position allows the roller or axle to be rotated to result in the winding up of a flexible, sheet material attached to the roller. Once the sheet material is wound onto the roller to the extent desired, the roller is physically moved to the storage position. The storage position renders the roller immobile thus securing the sheet material from unwinding.

11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SELECTABLE SUPPORT FOR ROLLERS, AND THE LIKE I cRoss REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants co-pending application Ser. No. 343,355 filed Mar. 21, 1973.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field Of The Invention The present invention relates generally to a support for rollers and the like and, more particularly, to a support allowing a roller or the like to assume an operative position and a storage position independently.

In any situation where a flexible material is being wound onto a roller, once the material has been wound to the desired extent the material is usually susceptible to becoming unwound unless some provision is made to secure the roller and material.

2. Description Of The Prior Art In a case where a roller or the like is positively driven as, for example, by some motor device, the roller generally remains stationary when the driving force is removed. Therefore, a flexible material being wound onto the roller can not unwind as a result of the roller turning in a reverse direction. ldentically, where some form of positive detent mechanism is utilized to prevent unwanted movement of a roller, the material wound on the roller can not unwind by reason of the roller tuming. However, immobilizing the roller does not necessarily eliminate the unwinding of the material. Unless the free end of the sheet material is fastened in some manner, unwinding or at least loosening of the material on the roller is possible.

Locking the roller and sheet material wound thereon in position prevents unwinding regardless of the method of drive used for the roller. Examples-of locking the roller and sheet material include placing some fastening device over the material and the roller or positioning a blocking device between the roller, wound with the sheet material, and a platform supporting the roller. In these cases, an additional apparatus is required to prevent the sheet material from unwinding from the roller.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improved support for a roller or the like.

Other objects of this invention include a new and improved support for a roller or the like which assists in the winding of a flexible material attached to the roller and which prevents unwinding of the material once wound onto the roller.

Further objects of this invention include a new and improved support for a roller reel, or the like, whichmounts the roller in a manner allowingrotational motion to be imparted to the roller; which allows for either vides independent positions for a roller to be rotated and stored; which enables a flexible material to be wound and retained on the roller; and which requires no apparatus in addition to the support to provide for both rotation and storage of the roller and flexible material. 7

Yet another object of this invention includes a new and useful improvement in a support for a roller or the like which prevents 'th'e unwinding of a flexible material in addition to preventing any further rotation of the roller or the like when situated in a storage position.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved support for a roller or the like which obtains one or more of the objects and advantages set forth above.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roller with a flexible sheet partially wound thereon, rotatably positioned in supports embodying a preferred form of this invention. 1 FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a roller with a flexible sheet entirely wound thereon, in a storage position of supports embodying the preferred form of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a vertical view of the roller and a support as shown in FIG. 1. I v

FIG. 4 is a vertical view. of the roller and a support as shown in FIG. 2..

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A roller or axle 10. is shown in FIG. I with a flexible sheet material 12 attached to and partially wound onto the roller 10. The roller 10 is suspended at a fixed distance from a deck 14 by supports 16 and 17. When the flexible sheet material 12 is desired to be wound onor off the roller 10, the roller must be suspended in a manner allowing free rotational motion. For this reason, a first portion, indicated generally at 20, of each support 16,17 is specifically designed to receive the extreme ends of the roller 10 so as to allow rotational motion thereof.

FIG. 1 illustrates the roller as suspended by the supports 16 and 17 allowing the roller or axle 10 to rotate and thus wind and unwind the flexible sheet 12. The first portion 20 of the supports 16, 17 is designed to slideably engage the extreme ends of the roller 10. Thus the roller is easily installed and removed from a rotatable position without the requirement of any device for latching the roller 10 in place.

Securely attached to the roller 10 at at least one extreme end and positioned at a fixed orientation thereto is'a crank 22. The crank 22' is intended to be used for the purpose of causing manual rotation of the roller 10 to thereby wind or unwind the flexible sheet 12 attached to the roller. I

FIG. 3 shows an end view of the roller and one support 16 arranged to allow rotation of the. roller 10. The first portion 20'includes a socket 24 and side walls 25 and 26. Identical structures are present on the support 17 not shown in FIG. 3. The socket 24 serves as a bearing surface to assist the extreme end of the roller 10 in rotating. The side walls 25 and 26 assist in guiding the roller 10 into the socket 24. I

I In a situation where automatic rotation of the roller 10 is desired, one extreme end of theroller 10 is necessarily equiped with a gear (not shown in the figures) to effect engagement with a powered-driving device. The driving device is arranged to be controllably activated by a user. The engagement of the gears on the roller 10 and driving device is a slideable engagement. In this manner, the storage operation of the. roller 10 is not in. terfered with by any restraining connection at the driven end of the roller. The crank 22, or part functioning similarly, as described below, is still required during storage of the roller 10 and sheet material 12. Also, the gear attached to the end of the roller 10 must be of such a design asnot to interfere with storage of the roller.

Once the roller 10 is arranged so that the extreme ends are positioned in the socket 24, the sheet material 12 is wound onto the roller lby turning the crank 22 (clockwise in the present case). Alternately, as discussed above, the positive driving device is capable of rotating the roller. When the sheet material 12 is completely woundonto the roller 10, the material is often desired to be maintained in a relatively, tightly wound condition. If the crank 22 is released while the roller is arranged as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the sheet mate- V rial does not remain wound on the roller, but rather unwinds to some degree.

The supports 16 and 17 have been designed in an ef fort'to additionally render the roller 10 with the sheet material 12 woundthereon self-storing. To this end, the

roller is desired to be restrained from further rotation sheet material 12 is completely wound onto the roller 10, the roller with the sheet thereon is lifted from the socket 24 of the first portion of the supports 16 and 17 and lowered to the deck 14. The supports 16 and 17 are designed to have a second portion indicated generally at 28 for accepting the extreme ends of the roller 10 in an abutting relationship while the sheet material,

12 on the roller 10 contacts the deck 14 or some other similarly fixed structure. Thisabutting relationship is more clearly illustrated with the help of FIG. 4.

The second portion 28 of the support-l6 shown in FIG. 4 is designed to engage the extreme ends'of the roller 10 at a plurality of distances from the deck 14. The plurality of distances is a direct consequence of variations in the diameter of the roller and the material wound on the roller. The effect of the extreme ends of the roller 10 abutting the second portion 28 of the supports 16 and 17 is to restrain the roller 10 from'rolling in one direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 4).

As further shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the crank 22.

which is securely attached to the roller 10 at one extreme end acts to restrain the roller 10 from rolling in the remaining direction (clockwise in this case) by being partially rotated into contact with the deck 14 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4). In this manner, the roller 10 a structure other than the crank 22 is often desired when the rotation is supplied through a powered driving device. An example of such an embodiment includes a bar or plate (not shown), securely attached to an end of the roller 10 to extend radially beyond the diameter of the roller 10 with the sheet material 12 wound thereon. The bar or plate, as with the crank, is intended to contact the deck or other suitable relatively immobile structure.

The weight of the sheet material 12 and the roller 10 I combine to exert a force which, in addition to any force exerted by thesupports l6 and 17 on the roller perpendicular to the deck 14, restrain the sheet material from loosening itself from the relatively, tightly wound condition on the roller. Thus, the sheet material. 12 remains I wound on the roller 10 to the extent originally accomplished in turning the crank 22.

The result of the use of the supports 16 and 17 is the possibility of rotatably suspending a roller and securely immobilizing the roller without'any additional apparatus or requirements. through the utilization of the device of this invention. The application of this invention in situations requiring less thancomple'te winding of the sheet material onto the roller should be appreciated. Likewise, the same supports 16 and 17 are useful in a situation where the sheet material is not present, i.e., singular strand of material.

One-preferred use of the invention involves covering and uncovering a swimming pool such as further described in US. Patent Application Ser. No. 343,355 filed Mar. 21, 1973. In a case such as the swimming pool cover, and any sheetmaterial 12 for the fact, the

sheet, may be desired to be onlypartially wound onto,

the roller. 10 and at this point secured to restrain unwinding of the material. Such a result is entirely possible with the supports 16, 17 of the present invention. With the remainder of the sheet material 12 maintained under some tension, in the case of a partially wound sheet, positive restraint with regard to unwinding of the sheet results when the crank 22, or likewise the plate or bar as discussed above, is turned counterclockwise from the position shown in FIG. 4 until the crank 22 contacts the deck 14 or other relatively immobile structure at theleft of the roller 10 (not shown in the figures Modifications, changes and improvements to the preferred forms of the invention herein disclosed, de-

scribed and illustrated may occur to those skilled in the 1. An apparatus comprising a deck means, a plurality I of supports mounted on said deck means in spacedrelationship with respect to one another, a roller means having a length extending to the entire plurality of said supports for winding and unwinding flexible material thereon and therefrom, and a member extending substantially radially from said roller means, each said support comprising a first portion for receiving and supporting said roller means in a first position and a second portion engaging said roller means in a second position independent of said first portion, said second portion having a part thereof which vertically overlies at least a part of said roller means when said roller means is supported in said second portion, means for rotating said roller means when said roller means is positioned within said first portion of said supports, said extension member of said roller means contacting said deck means and restraining rotation of said roller means when said roller means is positioned within said second portion of said supports whereby said flexible material is wound onto and from said roller means when said roller means is positioned in said first portion of said supports and is prevented from unwinding from said roller means when said roller means is positioned in said second portion of said supports,

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said extension member comprises a crank means adopted for manually rotating said rollelr means when said roller means is in said first portion of said supports and said rotating means comprises a handle means on said crank means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which each said support is permanently mounted on said deck means.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 with two supports.

5. In an apparatus including a deck means, a pair of supports mounted the deck means in alignment with one another, axle means having a length substantially equal to the distance between said pair of supports, a sheet of material attached to said axle means for winding and unwinding thereon and therefrom, and crank means mounted on said axlemeans, each said support comprising a first portion for receiving and supporting said axle means for rotation, and a second portion for receiving said axle means in a position restrained against rotation, said axle means when said axle means is positioned within said first portion of said supports, said sheet material being wound onto or off of said axle means when said axle means is rotated, and said crank preventing said axle means from rotating by contacting said deck when said axle means is positioned within said second portion of said supports, whereby, once the sheet material is wound onto the axle meansand the axle means is positioned in said second portion of said supports, said crank means retains said sheet material in a wound condition until said axle means is removed from said second portion of said supports and returned to said first portion of said supports.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said,

sheet material comprises a portable cover for a swimming pool.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 in which said firstportion of, said supports comprises a seat with an entry slot for slidably receiving said axle and said first portion of each said support is aligned axially with said first portion of the other said supports.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 in which said second portion of said supports comprises seat means disposed in each said support adjacent said deck means, with said second portions of said supports being in axial alignment.

9. Static apparatus for receiving an end of a reel having an axis with a flexible material attached thereto to be wound, stored and unwound therefrom, said apparatus comprising support means having at least two independent portions for said end of said reel, afirst of said portions supporting said reel for rotation about said axis, whereby said reel is rotatable to wind and unwind said flexible material thereon and therefrom, the second said portion supporting said reel in a relatively immobilized condition for storage and preventing rotation thereof about said axis and unwinding of the flexible material therefrom, said second portion having a part thereof which vertically overlies at least a part of said reel when said reel is supported in said second portion, and means whereby said reel may be lifted manually from one said portion and placed in the other said portion.

10. Static support means for receiving an axle means adapted for winding and unwinding a flexible material thereon, and support means comprising two independent portions for receiving said axle means, one said portion supporting said axle means for rotation about its axis whereby said axle means is rotatable to wind and unwind said flexible material thereon and therefrom, the other said portionsupporting said axle means in a relatively immobilized condition for storage and preventing rotation thereof about its axis and unwinding of the flexible material therefrom, and means whereby said axle means maybe lifted manuallyfrom one said portion and placed in the other said portion.

11. In an apparatus including a deck, a plurality of supports permanently secured to the deck in a predetermined spaced relationship with respect to one another and a rigid support having a length extending to the entire plurality of supports, an improvement in the apparatus comprising a first portion of each of the plurality of supports accepting said rigid support in one orientation, a second portion of each of said plurality of supports accepting said rigid support in an independent orientation, means rotating the rigid support when said rigid support is accepted into said first portion of each of said plurality of supports, and blocking means restraining rotation of said rigid support when accepted into said second portion of each of said plurality of supports as a result of interference between said deck and said rigid support. 

1. An apparatus comprising a deck means, a plurality of supports mounted on said deck means in spaced relationship with respect to one another, a roller means having a length extending to the entire plurality of said supports for winding and unwinding flexible material thereon and therefrom, and a member extending substantially radially from said roller means, each said support comprising a first portion for receiving and supporting said roller means in a first position and a second portion engaging said roller means in a second position independent of said first portion, said second portion having a part thereof which vertically overlies at least a part of said roller means when said roller means is supported in said second portion, means for rotating said roller means when said roller means is positioned within said first portion of said supports, said extension member of said roller means contacting said deck means and restraining rotation of said roller means when said roller means is positioned within said second portion of said supports whereby said flexible material is wound onto and from said roller means when said roller means is positioned in said first portion of said supports and is prevented from unwinding from said roller means when said roller means is positioned in said second portion of said supports.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said extension member comprises a crank means adopted for manually rotating said rollelr means when said roller means is in said first portion of said supports and said rotating means comprises a handle means on said crank means.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which each said support is permanently mounted on said deck means.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 with two supports.
 5. In an apparatus including a deck means, a pair of supports mounted the deck means in alignment with one another, axle means having a length substantially equal to the distance between said pair of supports, a sheet of material aTtached to said axle means for winding and unwinding thereon and therefrom, and crank means mounted on said axle means, each said support comprising a first portion for receiving and supporting said axle means for rotation, and a second portion for receiving said axle means in a position restrained against rotation, said axle means when said axle means is positioned within said first portion of said supports, said sheet material being wound onto or off of said axle means when said axle means is rotated, and said crank preventing said axle means from rotating by contacting said deck when said axle means is positioned within said second portion of said supports, whereby, once the sheet material is wound onto the axle means and the axle means is positioned in said second portion of said supports, said crank means retains said sheet material in a wound condition until said axle means is removed from said second portion of said supports and returned to said first portion of said supports.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said sheet material comprises a portable cover for a swimming pool.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 5 in which said first portion of said supports comprises a seat with an entry slot for slidably receiving said axle and said first portion of each said support is aligned axially with said first portion of the other said supports.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7 in which said second portion of said supports comprises seat means disposed in each said support adjacent said deck means, with said second portions of said supports being in axial alignment.
 9. Static apparatus for receiving an end of a reel having an axis with a flexible material attached thereto to be wound, stored and unwound therefrom, said apparatus comprising support means having at least two independent portions for said end of said reel, a first of said portions supporting said reel for rotation about said axis, whereby said reel is rotatable to wind and unwind said flexible material thereon and therefrom, the second said portion supporting said reel in a relatively immobilized condition for storage and preventing rotation thereof about said axis and unwinding of the flexible material therefrom, said second portion having a part thereof which vertically overlies at least a part of said reel when said reel is supported in said second portion, and means whereby said reel may be lifted manually from one said portion and placed in the other said portion.
 10. Static support means for receiving an axle means adapted for winding and unwinding a flexible material thereon, and support means comprising two independent portions for receiving said axle means, one said portion supporting said axle means for rotation about its axis whereby said axle means is rotatable to wind and unwind said flexible material thereon and therefrom, the other said portion supporting said axle means in a relatively immobilized condition for storage and preventing rotation thereof about its axis and unwinding of the flexible material therefrom, and means whereby said axle means may be lifted manually from one said portion and placed in the other said portion.
 11. In an apparatus including a deck, a plurality of supports permanently secured to the deck in a predetermined spaced relationship with respect to one another and a rigid support having a length extending to the entire plurality of supports, an improvement in the apparatus comprising a first portion of each of the plurality of supports accepting said rigid support in one orientation, a second portion of each of said plurality of supports accepting said rigid support in an independent orientation, means rotating the rigid support when said rigid support is accepted into said first portion of each of said plurality of supports, and blocking means restraining rotation of said rigid support when accepted into said second portion of each of said plurality of supports as a result of interference between said deck and said rigid suppOrt. 